Optimizing Space: Furniture Layouts for Restaurants
Written by: Marcelo Flores
You’re probably about to open your restaurant, so you’re wondering what the most efficient furniture arrangement is. In this article, we’ll explore the best ways to accommodate tables, chairs and all you need.
Before this, you probably already chose the theme and concept of your restaurant. If not, we highly recommend doing it before reading this. With that said, let’s dive in.
Table of contents
1. Create a Floor Plan
As mentioned above, the first thing you must do is to choose the theme and concept of your restaurant. This is extremely important, and after that, we highly recommend you to create a floor plan. For this, you’ll have to consider the flow of the room, space regulations, and the space each table and chairs occupy.
These are some tools you could use:
2. Don’t Overcrowd
If you have a small space, you may be tempted to fit in as many chairs as possible, but that’s not a great idea. It’s important you understand the space regulations and seating capacity. After that, you’ll also want to arrange tables and chairs with sufficient space. You don’t want to overcrowd the restaurant and make your clientele feel overwhelmed.
3. Choosing Furniture
Some great items of furniture you must have are:
Tables
Let’s start with the table arrangements. Starting with round tables, round tables encourage conversation but are not that space-efficient. They are great and are very elegant, so for space-efficiency you could choose to mix them with square and rectangular tables.
Now, square and rectangular tables are better for space-efficiency and also have the advantage that are great if you need to join two tables together. This is important for your restaurant to be able to accommodate a large group of people.
You could make a mix and match of rectangular and round, for large families. And square for smaller families. You could even have a few 2-person square tables, perfect for dining couples and to prevent leaving two empty seats at a four-person table.
Chairs
As for the chairs, try to choose chairs that are not too bulky. This is not usually a problem, but if you have very limited space, avoid choosing bulky chairs that have armrests and take up a lot of space.
You could also choose to put booths. They may seem to take up too much space but the reality is that they don’t, they are space-efficient.
4. Add a Counter Space to your Restaurant
Adding a counter space could help your restaurant look more attractive, but also help fit more people. Counter spaces are becoming more popular these days as they’re very attractive. It’s great for dates and also allows clients to watch the chef or bartender at work. Another way is to add bar tables. Bar tables are great to complement standard size tables.
It conveys a more relaxed atmosphere and even gives the customer the possibility, even if he has a table, to get up and order a drink and stay at the bar for a while.
Crafting the perfect layout for your restaurant involves thoughtful planning. By considering various table shapes, chair styles, and the integration of counter spaces, you can create a welcoming and efficient dining environment. Remember, the right furniture arrangement not only optimizes space but also enhances the dining experience.
